Thank you so much for the huge outpouring concerning our request to contact your local VFW chapter about the courageous VFW Resolution to free Michael. We don’t know the final outcome of the Resolution as the VFW National Conference will not vote on resolutions until the end of this week. We will advise you when we hear the result. We realize that the VFW request may have been more of an appeal to those who had military contacts, but we certainly appreciate all those supporters without military contacts that also cold-called their VFW’s to assist with Michael’s resolution.

We have one more very important request for all who have followed Michael’s case and want to help him directly. Michael is eligible for parole for the first time in January 2014 and his parole packet must be completed by the end of August 2013. It is our desire to provide the Army Parole Board with hundreds of letters of support as well as letters of employment. We want to leave no doubt in the Army Parole Board’s mind that Michael is more than an acceptable risk to leave prison; that in fact he is openly welcomed back into American Society by the public at large.

Please take the time to draft and sign a short letter of support (one page only) and/or a letter of employment, and either email or mail them to us for inclusion in Michael’s parole packet (the email and physical mailing address are at the bottom of this email.) We have included a few bullet points for possible inclusion in your letters, but feel free to write with passion and from your heart. A note of caution…insulting the Board will be counterproductive as the Board did not place Michael in prison, but they hold the keys to his release.

Letters of Support: How you know Michael, or how you learned about and followed his case; what you know about Michael’s character and family support, or how you have read that he served the country honorably and has paid a severe price (a price that he will continue to pay throughout his life with a felony conviction); knowing the facts and circumstances surrounding Michael’s background, case, and service, you welcome him back into society and know he will succeed with such overwhelming support.

Letters with Offers of Employment: Name of Business, Company, LLC, or Partnership; Position and Duties; Salary and/or Commission. Note that Michael completed a Bachelors of Science from the Univ. of Central Oklahoma; studied history, military science and general studies while in college, and is well read (over 300 books while in prison). He has also studied a lot about ranching while he has been incarcerated and would especially be interested in anyone who would hire him to work and learn to operate a ranching business.)

This is our first and hopefully our last time advising the Parole Board about the support base that has been encouraging Michael all these years and is patiently waiting for him to walk out of prison a free man. For all the unbelievable efforts, tears, prayers, cards, and letters you have offered to Michael and our family, sending a letter to the Parole Board is the one way you can directly have your voice heard about what has happened to this brave soldier who was imprisoned for an action taken in a war zone to protect himself and his Brothers-in Arms. Last week a jury in Florida exonerated George Zimmerman and said that he had the right to stand his ground when confronting an unarmed teenager. The Army on the other hand declared that Michael lost that same right to defend himself when confronting a member of Al-Qa’ida in Iraq. Please take this opportunity to let the Army Parole Board hear the thoughts of every day Americans who will not leave this Soldier behind and encourage your family and friends to do the same.

We must bind all the letters of support and employment letters into Michael’s parole packet and send it to the Army Parole Board BEFORE September 1st, so please send your letters to us no later than August 23rd (just a month away).

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